People's role in quakes

Earthquake forecast and precaution cannot be successful without the participation of ordinary people, says an article in Beijing News. An excerpt follows:

An amendment to the earthquake precaution and disaster relief law was submitted last Monday (Dec 22) to the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, for a second examination. According to the draft amendment, the country encourages social groups and individuals to carry out earthquake monitoring and prevention.

The new clause will be of great significance to the country's mobilization of all resources to battle the deadly natural disaster.